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Women can’t seem to be able to debate. In the following video, a popular mbc show named “Kalam Nawa3em” (soft speech) debates the issue of women driving in Saudi Arabia. The debate is between Lawyer Firyal Kanq and Human Rights Activist Samar Badawy. The other three women are the show’s hostesses. They keep interrupting each other, and the TV hostesses are clearly pro driving. I feel a bit sorry for the woman in the burqaa, because she is against and clearly outnumbered. I’m definitely pro women driving, but I feel they could have managed the debate better. Ms. Badawy is probably the most logical in the group, staying calm and presenting solid arguments. I just wish the hostesses would stop getting excited and interrupting. But my sympathy for Ms.Kanq (in the burqaa) ends here. She’s got her face “covered” but a ton of eye make-up on. I think that accurately represents people who are anti women driving. Hypocrites. And she has no solid argument,(I’d never hire her as my lawyer) She kept waving the “red flag” of “our enlightened leadership”, probably thinking that she would scare everyone off by hinting that they are questioning the government & royal family’s wisdom. I was glad when one of the women eliminated that as a debate point by stating that they are taking religion and government out of the equation,”That religion and enlightened leadership are blameless here and it is merely a social matter”.

I hate groundless excuses like “because the streets are full already” and “lets look at other alternatives”. What cracks me up about “lawyer” Kanq’s point of view, is that our leadership hasn’t prepared us (the Saudi people) for women driving. Doesn’t not not having the foresight to prepare an entire nation for the freedom of transportation of half of its citizens contradict “enlightenment”? (She REALLY should look for another profession… logic is clearly not her strong suit, nor is presenting a strong defense). I personally think the Saudi people ARE prepared. You might have some idiots here and there, but I prefer to show good faith in my people (call me naive) and their ability to adapt to change. I remember only a few years ago you would laugh at the thought of a saudi wearing his seat belt or working behind a cashier. Now its the norm.

Another one of her points was that you wouldn’t be able to control your teenage children. seriously? So grown women shouldn’t be allowed to drive because their teenage daughters will be able to too? Maybe Mums can now get in cars and drag their teenage sons butts back home instead of waiting up all night for them. This woman is seriously weird. And If I were to pull the typical Racist Saudi Card I’d say “what kinda last name is Kanq anyways?! It sounds like she’s just got the nationality and is trying to prove her gratefulness and blind loyalty.” But I won’t cuz we’re all equal and it doesn’t matter where we all come from just that we respect each other’s rights. *Angel face*

I discovered a hashtag on twitter today #DriverDrama , where people (mainly Saudi women) are tweeting about their day-to-day driver issues!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT??!!!! It’s the same reason I started this blog, to share the funny, irritating and ridic!

As you can probably tell I’m very excited! most tweets are in Arabic, which made me realize I probably should be blogging in Arabic too… worry not I’m too lazy to perfect my Arabic typing skills beyond the odd tweet and official email i need to send every once in a while to actually do that, but I am aware that I SHOULD. After all, most of my fellow sufferers speak only arabic. Maybe one day I’ll translate this whole blog… haha no that is NOT my New Year’s resolution! Happy 2012 by the way!! May it bring only good news to us all. Hopefully one of them will be dropping the Male guardianship stuff and letting us drive! (Hey a girl can dream).